Machine for polishing the eyes of needles



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.4

P. M. BEERS.

MAGHINE EOE POLISHING THE EYES 0F NEEDLES. No. 278,854. Patented June 5.1883.

N PETERS, Photo-Lithog apher. wuhingnm n. C

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented June 5, 1883:

(No Model.)

P. M. BEERS.

MAGHINE FOR POLISHING THE EYES 0E NEEDLES.

N4 PETERS. PhOlo-L'Ithognpher. Wa-bm iun. D. c,

' (No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3. P. M. BEERS.

MACHINE FOR POLISHING THE EYES 0F NEEDLES. No. 278,854.

Patented June 5, 1883.

N, PETERS. Phulu-Lnhognpher. Wauhinginn. n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE-f PHILO IVL'BEERS, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

. MACHINE FQR POLISHENG THE EYES OF NEEDLES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 278,854, dated June 5, 1883,

Application filed April 14, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern."-

Be it known that I, PHILO M. Bnnns, of Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, State of Con nectieut, have invented an Improvement in Machines for Polishing the Eyes of Needles, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

In machines such as 110w employed for pol ishing the eyes of needles, wherein the needles are held between reciprocating clamps which are caused to carry the needles backward and forward on the polishing-threads, as illustrated in the United States Patent No. 175,539, dated March 26,1876, on which this patent is an improvement, the clamp which holds the gang of needles is rocked or tipped auniform distance at the end of or during each stroke of the carriage, and the action of the polishing-threads is to abrade and polish the interior of the eye of the needle, so as 'to present fiat or plane surfaces, which, meeting at 'the central part of the eye, form a square or abrupt sharp corner. The thinnest part of the eye of the needle should present a round surface, so as to obviate fraying or cutting the thread and to insure the formation of such a surface, rather than one such as referred to and such as will be produced by using the machine described in the said patent, I have provided the polishing-machine with means to gradually increase the extent of tipping motion imparted to the needleholding clamp as it is being moved in opposite directions, whereby the polishing-thread is gradually brought into contact with an addi tional or different portion of the interior of the eye of the needle at each stroke and an oval or round surfaced eye is insured, which will not cut or fray the thread. In the patented machine referred to the spools containing the polishing-threads had friction devices applied directly to them, one friction device for each pair of spools, and to move the threads in the said machine required considerabletime and the manipulation of a number of adjustingscrews- In this my present invention the spools are left free to turn on their holdingpins, which are set closely together,'and the threadsare clamped near the spools by aseries of spring pins or plungers co-operating with a common bar, and by one movement the pressure of the said thread-clamping mechanism 011 all the polishing-threads may be simultaneously altered as desired, and by means of small levers connected with the said plungers either one may be lifted separately to permit any one thread to be mended without disturbing the tension of any other thread, which makes considerable saving in time. Bringing all the polishing-threads compactly together under the control of one common tension device e11- ables me to place the spools which hold the polishing-threads closer together than were springs used upon each spool, and, being able to increase the number of polishing-threads, I have been enabled to more than double the daily capacity of the machine.

Figure 1 represents in side elevation a machine for polishing the eyes of sewing-machine needles; Fig. 2, a top view thereof Fig. 3, a

. longitudinal section on the line m 1:, Fig. 2; Fig.

4, a section ofFig. 2 on the dotted lines as m,- Fig. 5, a sectional detail, showing part of the carriage for holding the needle-clamp and the verticallyadjustable guideway in which it moves, and means to adjust the guideway;

Fig. 6, details of the crank and the devices for automatically varying the inclinations of the clamp; Fig. 7, an enlarged sectional detail of the clamping mechanism for the polishingthreads. Fig. 8 shows in partial longitudinal section a needle-blank with its eye as left by the punch. Fig. 9 shows in partial longitudinal section a needle withits eye as it will be left after the body of the blank has been scoured by means of the usual rotating wire-brush wheel; Fig. 10, alike section, showing the said eye finished in the machine herein described, and Figs. 11 to 14 are diagrams to illustrate the different positions of the carriage and'nee dle-clamp and their actuating devices, as will behereinafter described. Fig. 11, in full lines, shows the parts in position to commence the operation of polishing the eye; and Figs. 12, 13, and 14, in full lines, illustrate, respectively, the position of the parts at the end of the ninth,

eighteenth, and twenty-seventh rotations of the main shaft, the dotted lines in the said figures illustrating the points where the needleclamp is tipped and the extent of its tipping motion during the first, ninth, eighteenth, and twenty-seventh rotations of the main shaft.

carriage A, having at each end a roller or sheave, A fitted to run upon a V-shaped track or edge of a vertically-adjustable guideway, 13,

fitted into a groove in the interior of the framework A, (see Figs. 2, 8,and 5,) the said crank and link reciprocating the said carriage backward and forward. The carriage A has suitable bearings to receive the journals (6 of a needle-clamp, D, such as shown in the said patent, it being adapted to be supplied with and to hold needles to, as described in the said patent. One of the journals of the needleclamp has a crankarm, d, see Figs. 1 and 2 and 11 to 14,) connected by link (1 with the crank-pin d? of the auxiliary crank (1, fast on ashort stud, d, sustained in the crank or arm fast on the main rotating shaft A. The short stud, d, has at its inner end a worm-gear, d", engaged and turned by a worm, d, on a shaft, (1, held in cars of the crank-arm C. (See Fig. 6.) The shaft (I has at its upper end a bevelgear, 0*, the teeth of which engage the teeth of the stationary bevelgear (1", fast to the frame A, and forming one of the bearings for shaft A, the gear (Z being rotated to rotate the shaft (7, the auxiliary crank d, and crank-pin d, as the gear (I is caused to travel about the circle of teeth of the stationary gear (1". The auxiliary crank (1" and crank-pin d and suitable means to operate them constitute the mechanism for varying the tipping movement or inclination of the clamp as the latter is being reciprocated. The crankshaft A is rotated thirty-six times while the crank-pin d" is retated once, during which time the eye of the needle is completely polished at both ends. Each rotation of the shaft- A moves the carriage A" forward and backward once, and the crank C, connected with the said shaft by the link (1, rocks or tips the clamp D 011 the carriage sooner or later during its stroke, as will be hereinafter described, owing to the slowlychanging position of the crank-pin (P with re lation to the arm as the latter is turned with the shaft A.

The eye of each needle-blank, after being punched, will appear as in section Fig. 8.

In scouring the blank, as-usual, the wiresof the rapidlyrotating brush enter the grooves at the sides of the needle, and, acting on the walls 3 at the ends of the eye, walls made by the punch,) wear them away, leaving the eye as shown in the section Fig. 9, wherein it will be seen that the wall at the point end of the eye is cut away, leaving a sharp edge, 2, which will cut the thread. Inspection of Fig. 8 will show that this wall 0 t' the eye was made square.

\Vhen the machine is started to polish the eyes of a series of needles, a held in the clamp D, having the attached arm (7, the carriage B is in its intermediate position, as in Fig. 11, so that the strain of the needles 011 the polishing-threads enables them to remain almost in a straight line.

In Fig. 11 the full lines show the startingpoint of the machine, and it will be noticed that the arm d of the needle-clamp is in nearly vertical position. Rotation of the crank O in the direction of the arrow will tip the arm (I and needle-clamp alittle upon its bearings in the carriage A, and will start the carriage on its backward motion, or toward the left of Figs. 1 and 11, and by the time that the carriage reaches its central position the arm (I of the needle-clamp will be tipped so as to occupy the dotted position 12; but at the end of the back ward stroke the clamp will occupy the position 13, and as the carriage again moves forward, the arm C then moving over its third quarter, the lower end of the arm (I of the needle-clamp D will be carried ahead of the shaft or journal (1, so that as the arm 0 completes three fourths of its rotation about the center of shaft A the arm (I will occupy the dotted-line position-indicated by 11. During this first rotation of the crank C the polishingthreads (2 acted upon the sharp portions 2 of the point ends'of the eyes, and during the first rotation of the crank O the crank pin (1 was turned one thirty-sixth of a revolution about the center of d by the shaft (I and its connected parts, hereinbefore described. At the end of'the ninth revolution of the crank C- the carriage B drops into its lowest position, as in Fig. 12, and in such lowered position of the carriage and changed position of the crank-pin (F with relation to the crank C the arm d of the needlerclamp, when the latter is in its ex treme forward position, will occupy the position shown in full lines, Fig. 12; and during the next rotation of the crank C, as indicated by the dotted lines, Fig. 12,. at the quarterpoints, the arm (I will occupy, respectively, the positions 15 16. 17, wherein it will be seen that the arm (Z of the needle-clamp is tipped more at the ends of the stroke of the carriage than in Fig. 11, and at its center positions is tipped less than in Fig. 11. hen the carriage was making the first stroke the arm (I of the needle clamp occupied its position nearest to a vertical line while the carriage was at the extremes of the stroke; but during the ninth rotation of the arm C the rotation of the auxiliary crank (1 about its own center so moves the crank-pin d" that the arm (I of the needle-clamp occupies a more nearly vertical position while the carriage is nearest the center of its travel, instead of at its ends, as in Fig. 11. So it will be understood that from the first to the ninth stroke of the carriage the arm (I of the needleclamp was tipped while the carriage occupied a different position in' its stroke. At the end of the ninth stroke the guideway B remains stationary for several strokes of the carriage, after which the guideway is lifted, and at the end of the eighteenth stroke of the carriage by link f", the arm supported in 'said patent.

the polishing-threads are again in horizontal plane, as in Fig. 13, and the point end of the eye is supposed to be rounded or finished. From the ninth to the eighteenth reciprocation of the carriage the clamp is gradually tipped at a period nearer the center of the stroke of the carriage, so that at the end of the eighteenth stroke the clamp occupies its most nearly vertical position at the center of the stroke of the carriage, and is tipped as the carriage is at the center of its stroke. Com mencing with the eighteenth stroke, the guideway B is lifted to cause the shank ends or the eyes of the needles a to bear against the polishing-threads e, such lifting of the carriage and needles raising the threads e above their horizontal position, as in Fig. 14, thus causing the said threads to bear with greatest force against the shank ends of the eyes and polish and round the same, leaving them in the condition shown at 5, Fig. 10. As the crank d is slowly rotated on the rotating crank-arm 0 its position will be so changed with relation to the I said arm 0 as to gradually rock or tip the clamp D at a different part of the stroke of the carriage and for different distances until the clamp is tipped its greatest distance.

TVhile the point end of the eye is being polished the guide B will be held, as in Fig. 3, by the action of the rolls or studsf of arms f of rock-shafts f f having arms ff f connected f being actuated by a slide-bar, f, having a pin or roll extended into the groove of the cam g on the shaft g, the latter having a worm-gear, g, which is engaged with and driven by the worm on the shaft A, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) the worm-gear 9* being shown in the latter figure by dotted lines. Vhen the shank end of the eye is to be acted upon, the cam g acts on slide f and its con nected devices to raise the guide B until the shank end of the eye strikes the lower side of the polishing-thread e, and the clamp, during its reciprocation with the needles, is gradually rocked or tipped, so that the polishing-threads act upon more and more of the shank end of the eye and gradually shown in Fig. 10.

The polishingthreads, carried by the spools I: on pins It of a removable bed, E, are extended forward over a grooved crossbar, 6", standards a, rising from the said bed. These standards, extended forward as at it", serve to hold the separatingbars between the gangs of needles which are to be pushed forward to be placed in the clamp D, as in the Bar 6* forms the lower member of the clamping mechanism for the polishingthreads 6, the other members being the plungers 6", one for each thread. The plungers 6', having their shanks extended through spiral springs 6* v and through holes on the bar e are kept pressed down upon the said threads by the said springs. Each plunger has a lever, m, by which it may be lifted independently when desired, the le ver rocking over a fulcrum, m. The bar e,

carrying all these plungers, is attached at each wear it rounding, as I I end to a screw-threaded rod, 0, extended down through a hollow guidepost, n", where it re ceives upon it an internally-threaded bevelgear, 6 having an annular groove, 8, in its hub, (shown best in Fig. 7,) which is en1- braced by a yoke, 9, screwed to the under side of the cross'piece, p, of the frame-work. The I gears eare engaged by bevel-gears e on a shaft, 6, having a crank or hand-wheel, e", by which to turn it and rotate the gears e, and cause them, held by the fork, to move the rods 6 and bar e vertically, as it is desired to simultaneously adjust the pressure on all the threads 6. The outer end of the polishing-threads will be connected with a roller, R, substantially as in the said patent, and the tension 011 ,the threads 6 will becontrolled by the spring m I one for each threadthe said springs being at I tached to a yoke, on, on a shaft, m having aweight, m (Shown in Fig. 2.) The springs I m press on the threads 6 between the rests m m The machine will have a number of plates, E, which, when the pins h have had spools of thread applied to them, and the said threads have been inserted through the eyes of the needles to be polished, and the said needles in gangs have been separated by the plates 1', (see Fig. 3,) placed .in notches r (see Fig. 7) of arms a may be placed in the machine. The operator may thus keep a lot of needles properly strung, ready to be operated upon when desired.

I claim-- 1. In a machine for needles, a reciprocating carriage and clamp thereon, combined with means to gradually increase the rocking or tipping movement of the said clamp clamp, and whilepolishing the eyes of the needles, 'substantiallyas set forth. 3 2. The sliding carriage and the clamp D, combined with the crank C, auxiliary crank 5 or arm (2 its pin (F, means to rotate the said I crank with relation to the said arm 0, and the link (1, connecting the crank-pin and clamp, 1 substantially as described.

3. In a machine to polish the eyes of needles, the rotating shaft A, stationary bevelgear (F, arm (I, shaft (Z gear (i worm d, gear d arm (1, moved slowly by it, crank-pin d link (1, and needle-clamp D, combined with the carriage and means to reciprocate it, sub-- stantially as described. 4. In a machine for polishing the eyes of needles, the cross-bar c and series of plan gers to clamp and hold the j )olishing-threads I between their spools and the parts of the said I threads which polish the eyes of the needles held by the clamp, substantially as described. 5. In a machine for polishing the eyes of needles, the cross-bar e, the bar 6 and its series of spring-pressed plungers, combined with means, substantially as described, to adjust the said bar and the pressure of the plungers on the polishing-threads, substantially as shown and described. I

6. In a machine for polishing the eyes of polishing the eyes of during the reciprocation of the independent levers m to lift the said plnngers and hold the polishing-threads, substantially 10 as described.

In testimony whereof I havesigned my name needles, the cross-bar e and bar 6 and its series of plungers, combined with ihe series of separately, substantially as described. to this specification in the presence of two sub- 7. In a machine to polish the eyes of neescribing witnesses. dies, the removable or independent plate E, to PHILO M. BEERS hold the series of spools, and itsbar e, and W'itnesses: the notched arm or bracket n", to hold the bars A. R, LAQEY, 1', combined with a series of plungers to clamp F. HURD. 

